Beauxbatons Girl
by Gray-Eyed Charlatan
Summary: It's the next generation! James Harry Potter is in love and everyone's finding out! And another battle is yet to be fought. A new Voldemort? This can't be good...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N If you see any names you recognize, they're NOT MINE.**

_Beauxbatons Girl_ by AnnabethandPercy4Ever

My life has changed forever since I met her.

It started at the beginning of my fourth year. I, James Harry Potter, son of famous Quidditch player and wizarding hero, Harry Potter and Ginny Potter, was chatting with friends as the nervous first years trooped into the Great Hall. One being my brother, Albus Severus, of course. But something was not right: behind the little ten and eleven-year-olds was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, who looked to be about my age. She had long, curly blond hair.

The sorting began, but whispers infiltrated the Great Hall. After my brother and my cousin Rose were sorted into Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall, the ancient headmistress, announced, "Students of Hogwarts: lend me your ear. We have a wonderful announcement!" She beckoned the pretty girl to stand next to her and pointed to her while continuing, "Here I have Emma Spencer, a transfer student from Beauxbatons. This is a new thing and I hope all of you will be kind to our new fouth year." She placed the Sorting Hat on Emma's beautiful head.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

No one clapped except the teachers and some Ravenclaws beacuse we were all staring at her. She glared at us all, as if saying, "How dare you not clap for me!" I wasn't intimidated, however. I was used to the death glare from my cousin, Victoire. I flashed a quick smile in her direction, which triggered a surprised look from her. After she sat down, however, she smiled back.

I couldn't concentrate throughout the next month or two. We had most classes with the Ravenclaws and not the stinky Slytherins, thankfully.

In Divination, when we all took out our wands, hers seemed _different_. It was chocolate brown with gold sparkles. She told us that it was rosewood and stardust, made by a family friend.

"Who heard of that combination?" I asked my best friend and other cousin, Alan, who was a son of my Uncle George and Aunt Angelina.

"I dunno," he shrugged.

The rest of Divination was spent listening to Professor Lovegood jabber on about Crumple Horned Snorkacks or something.

And in Herbology, when I greeted Professor Longbottom, I caught Emma staring quizzically at me.

Pretty soon it was time for the Christmas Ball. Everyone was asking everyone to it, and the only person I wanted to ask was Emma.

Alan and I were walking down the hall one day when I saw her and her best friend Victoria walking near us. Alan went up to Victoria suddenly and asked, "Will you go to the ball with me?"

Victoria smiled and said yes. Emma was smiling at me. I walked up to Emma, stumbling slightly, and asked, "Care to come to the Christmas Ball in the company of yours truly?"

She smiled even larger and replied, "Yes, I will go to the ball with you."

My heart leaped and I smiled too.

Alan interrupted my moment, poking me in the back, and said, "Okay, lovebird, we're gonna be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Emma and I both murmured, "See you later," to each other and walked away.

Alan mimicked me asking Emma in a falsetto voice. "Care to come to the Christmas Ball in the company of yours truly?" He said, "What was that all about?"

My face burned red and I said, "Go away."

"No," he replied. "JAMES IS IN LOVE! JAMES IS IN LOVE!"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled at him.

Soon people were staring.

I dragged Alan out of the hall and into Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Professor Westin, an eccentric weirdo, greeted us and shoved us all into his classroom. He had told us on the first day that his full name was Professor Fenwick Ull Jehosaphat Westin and that he was distantly related to the famous Harry Potter. I did not want to be related to that oddball!

"Good morning," he said brightly.

"It's the afternoon!" shouted Alan.

Professor Westin took no notice of that. "Open your textbooks and let's recite the Pledge of Resistance!" he continued.

Reciting the Pledge of Resistance was routine for the start of his class. Us students opened our six pound purple textbooks and recited boringly, "I pledge to resist all curses and jinxes in any way, shape or form that I can. I never will intentionally hurt an animal or plant. I use magic as self defense. I reject all types of mean things to say and I strongly dislike those who do not. I will lead a safe life if I can."

Professor Westin clapped his hands and squealed with delight. After fifty minutes of disarming spells, we were free to go.

Alan and I high-fived on our way out, because it was our last class until the holidays were over. I found Emma in the hall.

"James!" she said.

"What are we going to do about the ball?" I asked her.

"How about you meet me outside my common room before it starts?"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Thanks for taking me. I was nervous, because I'm the new girl and all..."

"No problem. Thanks for saying yes."

I hugged her and said, "See you sometime?"

"Okay. Bye."

I ran off to the common room to tell Alan.

He clapped my back and said, "I knew you had it in you."

"Had what in me?"

"The ability to like a girl who likes you back, duh!"

"She does?"

"Did she pull away from the hug?"

"Not exactly."

"Then she does!"

"Really?"

"How thick are you?!"

"Calm down."

"Let's go to dinner."

"Okay."

Alan and I walked down to dinner, me feeling happier than I had since my birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the Christmas Day, the day of the ball.

And I was nervous beyond belief.

We still had a few hours until I got Emma from Ravenclaw Tower. I was in my dark blue dress robe and was pacing my dormitory while Alan was putting on his dark brown one that apparently matched his eyes. I'd never checked.

People have said I look just like my dad, except for the lack of glasses, a scar, and lime green eyes. Mine are dark chocolate brown, as my mom told me. Whatever.

-Two and A Half Hours Later-

I was walking to Ravenclaw Tower to get Emma when I realized I didn't exactly know the way. I spotted Nearly Headless Nick in the hallway and called to him.

"Hey, Nick! Can you show me the way to Ravenclaw Tower?"

"Why do you need to go to Ravenclaw Tower?"

"To get my date for the ball."

"In that case, certainly. Follow me."

I followed Nick down passageway after passageway, staircase after staircase, and soon I was outside Ravenclaw Tower.

"Emma?" I called.

From behind me, a voice said, "Right here. Shall we go?"

I turned around and saw Emma. She was in a beautiful light blue dress and her stormy eyes looked dark blue. I grabbed Emma's hand and led her to the Great Hall.

We walked in, and soon all the couples turned to look at us. I waved and everyone laughed. The ball went back to normal.

I danced with Emma to a lot of fast dances at the beginning. Soon after that came all the slow dances.

I put one hand on Emma's waist and one in her hand. She put her free hand on my shoulder. I whispered, "I've never really slow danced before."

She whispered back, "Me neither."

We glided back and forth like everyone else. At the end of the dance, Emma told me, "That was wonderful."

I replied, "I agree."

We smiled at each other and I saw a flash in front of us out of the corner of my eye. I turned around at the same time as Emma.

Jonathan MacDonald, the Head boy, grinned with his camera in his hand.

"Yearbook?" I asked. McGonagall had recently allowed Hogwarts to have a yearbook. Jonathan was in charge of it.

"You bet. Do I see a cutest couple?" he asked slyly as he flashed his stupid toothy grin.

Emma and I blushed.

"We have a winner of the cutest couple slot for our yearbook!" shouted Jonathan as he pointed to us.

Everyone started laughing stupidly.

"Let's go," I told Emma. Half the people had all ready left, anyway.

I walked her back to Ravenclaw Tower. She knocked on the door and the eagle on it said, "From the beginning of eternity to the end of time and space, from the beginning of every end and the end of every place. What am I?"

My dad had told me about how you answered questions to get into the common room. I was puzzled by the riddle.

Emma thought for about five seconds and said, "The letter E."

The eagle said, "Good job," and the door opened to a beautiful common room.

I was walking Emma through when I looked up and said, "Mistletoe."

There was, in fact, mistletoe there. I blushed.

"Thanks for taking me. It was really fun," Emma said.

"Anytime," I said.

The next thing I knew, I was kissing Emma under the door to Ravenclaw Tower. And people thought we were a couple, which was fine with me. I think it was fine with her too.

"Hogsmeade next weekend with me?" I asked after we had stopped the kiss.

"Okay," agreed Emma.

We said goodbye and I ran to my common room, yelling "Yay!" all the way.

I had a date with the prettiest girl in school, who was now my girlfriend. Just the thought made me happy.

I stepped through the portrait hole to Gryffindor Tower after saying the password and found Alan writing something. I told him everything and we high fived again.

"How'd it go for you?" I asked him.

"Fine," he said. "Victoria's really nice."

Suddenly I felt tired and went up to bed.

The next morning, as I walked into breakfast, people started whispering. I said hi to Emma, shared a smile with her, and sat with my family at the Gryffindor table.

My owl, Harpier, flew to me with a package and a note. The package was full of chocolate chip cookies, my favorite. The note said,

_Dear James,_

_Last night Lily sent me an owl telling me that you went to the ball with the new girl and you're supposedly a couple. Good job! anyway, your mother's happy that you've finally got a girlfriend and told me to tell you that she know's Emma Spencer's parents and they're nice people. Share the cookies with your friends and family!_

_From,_

_Dad_

Alan was reading over my shoulder and asked, "How did your sister know? Isn't she in second year?"

"Yeah," I told him. "But gossip travels quickly around Hogwarts. You should know, since you start half."

We laughed and I was okay with the fact that my parents knew about Emma. My dad obviously didn't care and my mom was happy. I wondered if Emma's parents knew.

Sure enough, my mom contacted her mom, who told Emma that it was great that she had a boyfriend. Emma told me that at lunch that day.

Emma and I started displaying how we felt for each other in public. Holding hands here, a quick kiss there.

And I was happy. Truly happy. And so was Emma. I could tell.

By our first real date, everything was going as smooth as silk.


	3. Chapter 3

So there it came, my date with Emma.

I was pacing the floor of my dormitory with Alan again, wondering what I should wear and if I should attempt to flatten my hair. Alan called it my "obsession." I didn't care if I was acting like a girl, I just wanted to impress Emma.

I finally decided on a brown polo shirt and khaki cargo pants. It looked fine to me and Alan said that, for once, I actually matched my clothes.

I walked the familiar route to Ravenclaw Tower and bumped into another fourth year Ravenclaw named Xemari. I knew him because, guess why? He's another cousin! He looked kind of sad and depressed, though. I asked him what was wrong and he said that it was none of my business and to get going, or Emma would get mad.

So I ran to the door and saw Emma again, wearing a red skirt and pretty white shirt with hints of red on it. I gave her a peck on the cheek and took her hand. We walked to the Great Hall and departed for Hogsmeade together.

"So, where do you want to go?" I asked her on the street.

She replied, "Anywhere but Madam Puddifoot's. Just looking at it makes me want to gag."

"Me too," I laughed.

We walked into the new Quidditch shop they had. Like me, Emma was a seeker, but for Ravenclaw, obviously. She really knew a lot about Quidditch.

Next we went to the Three Broomsticks. We sat down at a table and I told her that I would go up to the counter and get us some drinks. When I came back with butterbeers in my hand, Emma was glaring at a white blond head. I noticed her tanned forearm and there was a gash there, dripping scarlet. I dropped what I was holding.

"What happened?" I asked, panic rising.

"Talk to Scorpius," she said quietly, and I could tell that she was fighting the urge not to get up and knock out the idiot who did that to her.

I got up and confronted Scorpius Malfoy. I towered over the other fourth year. I was tall for my age and he was a shrimp.

"What did you do that for?!" I yelled at him.

He said coldly, "None of your business, Potter."

I pinned him against the wall. "Tell me why you cursed my girlfriend."

"The war may be over and your idiot father may have won, but expect another battle to extinguish filthy half-bloods like that girl there."

I threw Malfoy to the ground and stomped over to Emma. _What Scorpius said was obviously a lie_, I told myself.

Emma had already made her gash disappear, but on her white shirt a small smear of scarlet blood was still there.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I'm fine. I'm going to murder him in Quidditch, though."

And then I remembered our upcoming match against Ravenclaw. I would have to play my girlfriend, and worst of all, beat her to the Snitch.

She seemed to read my mind and said, "No hard feelings for which one of us loses? Even though it's going to be you?"

"It's going to be you that loses," I grinned.

"You're on."

"Deal."

-The day of the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match-

My Quidditch captain, Alan's big brother, Jack, told me to still try to beat Emma.

"I know she's your girlfriend, and she's better at flying, and is really flexible, and has a better broom, but catch the Snitch before she does."

I nodded, sort of.

Our entire team walked out at the same time as Ravenclaw. I saw Emma smiling devilishly at me. I mouthed, "You're going down."

She shook her head, as if saying, "Whatever you say..."

The game started and Gryffindor was in the lead by 20 points. Emma was up top, scanning the ground for the Snitch. I was hovering twenty or so feet off the ground, looking up. I saw Emma's face concentrating hard on finding it. I was staring at her until Jack yelled, "Oi! James! Watch the game!"

The next thing I knew, Ravenclaw was in the lead and the announcer shouted, "And Spencer's caught the snitch!"

I looked all around in shock, and sure enough, speeding around on her Firebolt 6000, clutching the Snitch and holding it in the air, was Emma. My mouth dropped open and I fell off my broom and onto the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up to find Emma hovering over me and looking extremely worried.

"What happened?" I asked groggily.

"After I caught the Snitch, you fell off your broom and onto your head," she sighed.

"Good job catching the Snitch," I told her.

"I shouldn't have, you wouldn't have gotten hurt!" Emma wasn't normally a girl who cried, but a tear slid down her cheek.

"I'm fine," I protested.

"Really?"

"Of course. It's not your fault. I wasn't paying attention and was shocked that you caught it."

"Okay, I guess. Anyway, you just had minor whiplash and a bump the size of a phoenix on your head."

"No broken bones?"

"None. And, by the way, all of these are yours."

Emma gestured to the side table next to me and I saw all kinds of candy and sweets.

"You can have all of the Chocolate Frogs," I told her.

"Really? Thanks! They're my favorite!"

"I don't like them that much anyway. I only collect the cards."

Madam Pomfrey bustled into the hospital wing and shooed Emma out. Before Emma left, she bent down and lightly kissed me.

I let Madam Pomfrey patch me up some more, still thinking about Emma and how worried she was.

Later that day, I was released from the hospital wing feeling great. When I got back to the Gryffindor common room, everyone asked me if I was okay or told me that they were sorry about being mad about me not catching the Snitch.

Alan was actually doing homework for once instead of plotting on how to prank the Slytherins. I looked at it and said, "Divination?"

He nodded and said, "Wanna work on it with me? We have to supposedly write down what we will be doing in six years and get it as close to right as we can."

"How are we supposed to do that?!" I asked him.

"I dunno. I bet Professor Loony's gonna check it with some fancy 'Seer.'"

"What did you put?"

"I'll be a Muggle talk show host and married to a hippogriff."

"That'll work. What should I put?"

"Famous Quidditch player."

"That's too boring. How about I'll lead a centaur rebellion?"

"Much better. Let's write that down!"

Alan and I finished our Divination homework and started Defense Against the Dark Arts, which was finding a jackalope, stunning it, then bringing it to class.

"Where do we find a jackalope?" I asked him.

"We could transfigure one," he suggested.

"Alan, you're a genius!"

We changed our old socks into jackalopes. The next morning, we stunned them and brought them to class.

Professor Westin made us recite the Pledge again and then asked us all to take out our homework. Half the people did the same thing that we did.

"Good, good, good!" squealed Professor Westin.

We left DADA feeling good.

That night, before dinner, I asked Emma to go on a walk throughout the castle with me. She finally agreed and we set off together. I led her to the Room of Requirement. When we went inside, I saw a candlelit dinner for two.

"What is this place?" Emma asked me.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirement," I told her.

We had a wonderful romantic dinner and then said goodbye to each other. We departed with a kiss.

Little did I know that what Scorpius said was somewhat true.


	5. Chapter 5

It was the Easter holiday. Since we all stayed for Christmas, we would be able to go home for Easter.

When I got home, my mom greeted me with a rib-crushing hug.

"James! How's the school year been so far?" she asked me.

"Great, mom," I told her.

I said hi to my dad and Teddy Lupin, who was visiting... again. I walked up to my room, closed the door, and played my joke Muggle handheld game from Alan. They really are quite addictive.

I was only upstairs for what seemed like minutes before my mom called up, "JAMES! GET YOUR LAZY BUTT DOWN HERE!"

I walked downstairs to see Emma and who must have been her parents standing in our doorway.

"Emma?" I asked.

"James, their house was burned down by the IH-BM," my dad told me.

"What?"

"It stands for In Half-Bloods' Minds."

"They're Legilimens?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?" I asked Emma. She nodded, but looked shaken.

"Why don't you show her around?" my mom suggested.

I started showing Emma around Potter Manor.

When we got to the backyard, I sat down on a bench and gestured for her to too. She rolled her eyes, gave a half smile, and then sat down.

She seemed to be staring far off into the distance. I sensed something was wrong, so I asked her, "What's wrong?"

Emma replied, "I don't know why they're going after half-bloods like me. I mean, before, Muggle-borns were bad enough but why do the same thing?"

I put my arm around her shoulder and she continued, "You want to know something?"

I said, "Sure."

"I'm related to the Queen."

"You are not."

"Yes I am. My mother was her daughter."

"Then why didn't I ever hear of that?"

"After dear old grandmother heard that her daughter was a witch, she disowned my mom."

"That's awful!"

"You're telling me."

"It explains a lot, though."

"What do you mean by that?"

"How you have perfect posture, talk in complete sentences, and look like what I would expect a princess to look like. Not to mention you boss Alan around like royalty."

"Really?"

"Would I joke about that?"

"Yes."

"Then you obviously know me."

We laughed and I found myself staring into her eyes. Her stormy gray eyes. How they changed color when she wore blue. How I could get lost in those beautiful eyes...

"James? You still there?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah."

"Did anyone ever tell you that your eyes are the color of dark chocolate?"

"Besides my mom? No way."

"You know, I really like chocolate, particularly dark."

"And I really like looking at stormy gray clouds."

"What?"

"Your eyes."

"What's so special about icy gray eyes?"

"I can get lost in them."

"So could anyone in a blizzard."

"I'm serious!" I found myself saying, "I love you."

I heard Emma say, "I love you too."

And then I was kissing Emma, but sweeter than ever before.

It was ruined when I saw Lily come in front of me and shout, "Whoa! Mom, come here!"

My mom came running and said, "What, Lily?"

"James was kissing Emma!" giggled Lily.

My face burned red. Way to spoil a moment, little sister.


	6. Chapter 6

It was finally time to go back to Hogwarts.

We got back on the train, we of course meaning myself, all my family still at Hogwarts, and Emma. I found a compartment for us to sit in, occupied only by Xemari. I tried to strike up a conversation with my quiet cousin.

"So, Xemari. You're in Ravenclaw?" I asked.

Xemari was tuning me out with his iCod, the wizard equivalent to an iPod shaped like a fish.

"Oo-kay," I said awkwardly as I slid to the back of my seat.

Suddenly, Xemari took off his earbuds and said darkly, "Did you say something?"

Emma glared at her classmate. "Yes, he said something, you imbecile."

"If I was an imbecile, why would I be in Ravenclaw?" he asked, smiling evilly.

"Look, Xemari. Stop thinking you're better than everyone just because you can act evil."

"Maybe I will."

"Is that a threat?"

"I could curse you before you could react."

"Bring it on."

"Not now."

"You should be in Slytherin. You're too evil to be in Ravenclaw. You're cunning, not smart."

"Maybe they sort too soon."

"Maybe they do."

"I can help you guys."

"You'd just as soon as curse me to oblivion!"

"That's a good idea..."

"Shut up and leave."

"No. I can spy on the IB-HM for you."

"Sure. And you'll kill us all!"

"No, I'll be like Severus Snape."

"Whatever."

"Seriously!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"No."

"See, I told you it was a bad idea!"

All of us were laughing at how Emma tricked my cousin (he's the son of Aunt Hermione and someone we don't know).

Alan, on the other hand, looked skeptical and said, "Maybe he's on to something."

I was taken aback and said, "Alan! You can't trust him!"

"That's what your dad thought of Snape."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

"He'll do the same thing!"

"But why him?"

"He offered, and Emma said it herself, he can act evil."

"But Alan..."

"I'll trust him."

"Thank you!" interjected Xemari.

I sat back in my seat, like everyone but Xemari and Alan, who were shaking hands.

"It can't be that bad," Emma whispered to me.

I gave her a half-smile and squeezed her hand, not knowing that I would be desperately be searching for her within the next day.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma was walking gracefully into the Great Hall for breakfast, her golden locks cascading down her back. She waved to me and I waved back.

Later that day, around dinner time, I was looking for Emma when I saw Alan banging his head against a wall in our common room.

"Alan?" I asked skeptically.

"I'm fine," he said in a sort of detached kind of voice.

I was running all around Hogwarts when I realized Xemari positioned behind a suit of armor.

"Xemari?" I asked him.

He jumped about a foot in the air and yelled, "Whoo-zere?"

I said reassuringly, "Xem, it's only me."

"Oh. James. Yes, I didn't expect you."

"Why were you behind that?"

"Oh, no reason."

"Really?"

"I was, just, er... looking for my quill that... Peeves, yes Peeves, er... dropped... behind... here..."

"Whatever," I shrugged. Everyone was acting weird and I couldn't find Emma!

I saw Alan behind another suit of armor, looking as if he had just woken up, swaggering to and fro. Xemari put his wand in his robes and Alan straightened up.

"Hey, Alan? What are you doing here?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing..." he replied in the same detached voice.

"I'll be going," I said, stepping backwards. Soon I broke into a sprint and ran all the way back to Ravenclaw Tower. Maybe Emma was in the common room.

I knocked on the stupid eagle door and the eagle said, "In a marble hall, white as milk, lined with skin, as soft as silk, in a fountain, crystal clear, a golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold, yet thieves break in to steal its gold."

I had heard that riddle somewhere, so I said, "An egg?" and the door opened.

I went into the navy blue and silver common room, searching frantically for Emma. I noticed a few more Ravenclaws, who I asked, "Have you seen Emma?"

At which one replied, "She's been missing since dinner. And how did you get in here? I thought that Gryffindors were all brawn."

I felt affronted and therefore stormed out of Ravenclaw Tower.

Professor McGonagall cornered me in the Great Hall. "Potter, come with me," she commanded.

I gave a feeble nod and followed her to her office.

She sat down at her desk and motioned for me to sit across from her. I felt weird, since that was where both my father and Voldemort had sat in before me.

"Let's get to the point," she started. "Your friend Emma has been kidnapped, or so we believe."

"No way!" I protested.

The portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black stated dramatically, "Protesting, just like his impudent father!"

Professor McGonagall glared at him and continued, "We are not exactly sure who took her or where she is, but we believe another riot to be starting."

"By riot do you mean another war?" I asked.

"I'm afraid so," she concluded.

"So, what do I have to do with this?"

"You have to be ready!"

"For what?"

"Fighting! So Professor Longbottom has agreed to help you."

"Cool! But wait, I have to take extra lessons? Why can't you just poison me?"

She gave me a glare and continued, "You will meet him Saturday in his office."

"Okay. So, now what?"

"I have news that you have recruited Xemari Granger to act as a double agent."

"Yes."

"Do you trust him?"

"Not exactly, but Alan does, and I would trust Alan with my life."

"The Order of the Phoenix is rising again. I want you to convince as many students as you can not to join IH-BM when they come of age."

"Only my Quidditch team and relatives will pay attention."

"So it may be, but still try."

"Professor?"

"Yes, Potter?"

"Alan is acting weird."

"How so?"

I described to her what Alan had been doing and she told me, "Do not tell Alan your plans."

"He's my best friend!"

"He may be Imperioused."

"No way."

"You've got to believe it. Treat him as you would normally."

"Then I would confess my plans."

"Pretend nothing is wrong!"

"Okay..."

"Remember, Potter. Most of the IH-BM are Death Eaters that didn't die. We must be on alert. These aren't just a bunch of school-yard bullies. These are dangerous Dark wizards."

"I know."

"Is there anything else?"

I was going to say how I saw Xemari behind the statue, but instead, said, "Nothing, Professor."

She waved me through the door.

I immediately felt panicked and unsafe. Another war? That couldn't be happening! And Emma, kidnapped?! I knew I had to save her, and it was just a matter of time before they... I wouldn't let myself ponder the possibilities.

I knew something to do, though. I had been told that my Uncle George knew almost, if not all, the secrets of Hogwarts. I sent him a letter, asking about the suit of armor, hoping for a reply within 24 hours.

I didn't get my wish. My owl returned 48 hours later. I read the note.

_James,_

_Your Uncle Fred, may he rest in peace, and I explored Hogwarts from top to bottom in our school days and we did notice something odd about that suit of armor. It was where we found the Marauders Map. On the full moon, there is a portal that leads to an underground cavern. Never before have I told anyone this, and I meant it to be my little secret, but since your girlfriend (who is very pretty, I've heard) has been kidnapped, I told you. Do not tell anyone else, except maybe Professors McGonagall, Lovegood, and Longbottom. They are the only remaining teachers in the Order and will know what to do. In the mean time, say hi to Alan and Jack from their old man. Enclosed in the tiny parcel is a package of my old joke merchandise. Have fun!_

_Your hilarious and handsome uncle,_

_George_

Another owl fluttered to me containing a package. I opened it, and sure enough, I found a ton of useful joke items.

I smiled, showed my friends, and saw the usually aloof Professor Westin eying me skeptically. When I caught his eye, he regained his normal composure.

Man, did I not know what was coming!


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a week and Emma was still missing, not to mention that I was extremely agitated.

My lessons with Professor Longbottom were about to begin and I was nervous beyond belief. Xemari kept feeding me information, even though he dropped out of Hogwarts. In turn I fed him information and questions about Emma's whereabouts. My replies to those questions usually told me not to give up and to trust the school professors. I told Professor Longbottom and McGonagall everything, and even, yet grudgingly, Professor Lovegood. How Alan was under the Imperius curse and how Emma was missing and how I was going mad with worry for her.

I walked to Professor Longbottom's office and knocked on it. He told me to come in, so I did. I was greeted with a strange office, even stranger than McGonagall's. Plants were everywhere. On the desk, covering the walls, making some sort of weird carpet on the floor.

Professor Longbottom, who I had always gotten along with, said, "Please stand up, James."

I obeyed and rose to my feet from a chair.

He took out his wand and I took out mine, expecting the worst. Instead, he said, "You know, when I was your age, I couldn't do defensive magic to save my life. But in fifth year, your father started an illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts group, which taught me everything. I just wish I could have learned sooner. That's why I agreed to teach you."

I had never heard of the illegal DADA group. I'd have to ask my parents about it.

"Why was it illegal?" I asked, confused.

He smiled and said, "We had a dreadful teacher who wouldn't let us learn defensive magic."

That part I'd heard about. "Professor Umbridge," I said.

"Yes. Anyway, I'm going to teach you every spell I learned in the months that I was in the group, since your parents are a little... preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? What do you mean?!"

"They're busy right now..."

"What? With what?!"

"You haven't heard?"

"Of course not!"

"Protecting half-bloods. They're trying to track down Emma and her mother."

"Her mother too?"

"Yes. Both have gone missing, no doubt captured by the IB-HM."

"I know." I looked down at my feet to conceal my sadness.

Professor Longbottom just smiled. "It's okay. We'll find her."

"I hope so."

"Let's start with disarming. Can you disarm yet?"

"I don't know, I've never really tried."

"Try it."

"Okay. Expelliarmus!"

Professor Longbottom's wand flew out of his hand and he was thrown back a few feet.

"And that was your first attempt?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," I said truthfully.

The rest of the lesson went the same way. At the end, before I left, Professor told me, "Whatever you do, do not tell Professor Westin about your lessons."

"What should I tell him if he asks?"

"Tell him that I'm tutoring you for your O.W.L.s."

"They're next year."

"As your Aunt Hermione once told me, 'Practice makes perfect!'"

"Okay."

I bid him goodbye and walked back into the Great Hall for dinner.

I realized that the day I found Xemari behind the armor was on a full moon. Looking at the ceiling, I found out that that day was also a full moon.

I decided to see what was really behind the statue. If what Uncle George had said was true, then maybe I would find Emma. It wasn't exactly the smartest plan, but I would wing it.

I walked behind the statue and was transported to a dark cave. I didn't say anything, lest someone heard me.

Suddenly, I heard a cold voice say, "Lumos" and a wand tip ignited. I had been sure to bring my father's Invisibility Cloak, so I took it out and threw it over me in one move.

I saw the pointy face of Draco Malfoy, my dad's enemy, not to mention the father of my enemy.

He took a goblet and drank out of it, transforming into Professor Westin by means of Polyjuice Potion. I gasped and he whirled around in my direction.

"Who said that?" he drawled.

"No one, Father," came a voice from somewhere near me. The person stepped into Draco's wand light and I gasped again. It was Xemari.

"What was that?" asked Draco again.

"I told you, Father. No one. You're imagining it."

"You are no son of mine! You're a filthy half-blood! And your mother was a Mudblood!"

"So? It was your choice."

"That doesn't mean anything. Get out of my sight."

"No. Lord Voldemort was a half-blood and you still have his Dark Mark on your effing arm!"

"Times change."

"Yeah, well, maybe I won't spy on the Order anymore! I'm doing this out of the kindness of my evil heart-"

"That's contradicting."

"DO NOT INTERRUPT, YOU IDIOT!"

"You do not speak to me like that!"

"I'LL SPEAK TO YOU HOWEVER I WANT! YOU NEVER CARED FOR ME, NEVER ONCE HELPED RAISE ME! MY OWN MOTHER ABANDONED ME WHEN SHE MARRIED WEASEL AND I LIVED ON THE STREETS! BUT DID YOU CARE, NO! YOU WERE OFF WITH YOUR WIFE CARING FOR YOUR LEGITIMATE SON! NOT ONCE DID YOU EVEN INVITE ME IN MALFOY MANOR! YOU DESERVE TO DIE! YOU DESERVE TO HAVE ME KILL YOU!"

"Xemari-"

"NO! YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS KING MORTEGOS!"

"If you think you're the new Dark Lord-"

"NO I DO NOT THINK THAT! I'M BETTER THAN THAT IDIOT WHO WAS BEATEN BY A BARELY AGE ADULT! I'M BETTER THAN HORCRUXES! I'LL CONQUER DEATH TO SHOW YOU ALL THAT HE WAS A FOOL! I'LL BECOME SUPREME RULER OF THE EARTH AND ALL SURROUNDING!"

I stunned both of them from under my Cloak and was extremely scared. Xemari was a traitor and we were in danger.


	9. Chapter 9

I was walking down the hall, depressed, when Emma's best friend confronted me.

Victoria Ravenclaw was a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw, Hogwarts founder. Victoria was pale skinned, dark haired, and blue eyed; strikingly pretty, but also intimidating. She looked like a younger version of the statue in Ravenclaw Tower coming to life.

"What have you done with Emma?" she hissed. "Where is she?"

"I didn't do anything! I'm looking for her too!"

"Yeah, right. And Voldemort is your grandfather."

"I'm serious!"

"Sure. I've got to go."

Victoria walked away in a huff and Xemari appeared from behind a suit of armor, but this time a different one.

I threw my cloak over him and covered his mouth. I shoved him inside an old classroom, following close behind and locking the door.

"Why are you here, traitor?" I hissed.

"Relax," Xemari said carelessly as he slumped against a wall. I was painfully reminded of a picture of my father's godfather, Sirius Black.

"No! Why are you here? Why did you betray us?"

"What are you talking about? I've been at your house all this time watching Muggle television and listening to my iWand."

"I thought you had the iCod, not the iWand."

"I have both."

"And you were not at my house! Yesterday you were in an underground cave! Talking with Draco Malfoy, who is posing as Professor Westin!"

"Why would I talk to Draco Malfoy?"

"He's your father!"

"He is? Gee, I never knew that! But why is he my dad if Hermione Granger's my mom?"

"Don't act all innocent! You know for a fact that you're becoming the new Voldemort! And I caught you in the act! Yelling at your dad about it!"

"It was probably a bad dream."

"Sure, and Volemort's my grandfather."

"He is?"

"NO! IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW STUPID YOU SOUND!"

"I do?! I DO?! You're the one talking about me becoming evil and finding my father and calling myself the new Voldemort! I mean, really! I'm good! Trust Alan!"

"It was you! You put Alan under the Imperius curse! I'm telling McGonagall!"

"One, I'm already expelled. Two, I can't even do the Imperius curse. And three, why do you always blame me?"

"Try the Imperius curse then, if you can't."

"Um, okay. I'll try." Xemari looked curious as he shouted at me, "Imperio!"

Nothing happened. That guy was either a really good actor or actually telling the truth.

"Maybe it was a dream," I said, unsure.

"Exactly!" said Xemari, seeming relieved.

"Why are you here today anyway?"

He blushed crimson and said, "None of your business."

"Who do you like? I won't tell anyone."

I could tell he was telling the truth when he said, "Victoria Ravenclaw."

I laughed out loud for several seconds.

"No seriously," I laughed, trying to calm down.

"I'm telling the truth!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"No way, and that's that. I can't believe you tried to tell me that you like Victoria Ravenclaw!"

"I know a way to make you see I'm telling the truth."

"Spill."

"Legilimency."

"No. I'm saving it for the IB-HM. You can't trick me!"

I grabbed his wand and mine, running out of the room and locking it.

I still believed that the previous night was not a dream, so I told Professor Longbottom everything at my lesson two days later, including the incident of the locked classroom.

He sighed and said, "Don't trust Xemari. A great teacher of mine once kept trying to tell everyone that he was right. They kept telling him he was wrong. But guess who won in the end? The great teacher."

"Who was that?"

"Your dad."

"When?"

"In seventh year."

"The worst year that ever happened to Hogwarts?"

"Exactly. Anyway, stick with the feeling in your gut. It most often turns out true."

"Okay."

The next morning, I wrote to my dad about everything and even went so far as to ask him if Xemari really was at our house.

My reply came back a few days later.

_James,_

_I'm very busy at the moment, but I'll still try to answer your questions. Xemari was not at our house at all. We don't even have a Muggle television! I don't care what Xemari tried to trick you about. I believe you. And remember, Voldemort is not your grandfather. _

_Best wishes,_

_Dad_

So that was that, in my opinion. I knew I had a big job to do, but I would do it, even if it was the last thing I'd ever do.

I had to save Emma.


	10. Chapter 10

The next night I had a dream about Emma.

She was sitting on a beat up gray bed in what looked like a prison cell, reading. She seemed sad, but also indifferent. Outside her cell was a dementor. I instantly knew where she was. Azkaban.

_Why wasn't she feeling the presence of the dementors?_, I wondered.

Then I saw a silver cat patronus walking back and forth in front of Emma. I was glad that they didn't take her wand.

My heart lept as she sat up in a fraction of a second. I heard a dark, cold voice saying, "Your boyfriend isn't here to save you now. What makes you think he's coming?"

A tear fell down her face and the cat disappeared. More and more tears came.

"_Expecto patronum_!" she choked. "_Expecto patronum! EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

The cat appeared again. Emma was shaking and started reading again.

I woke up with a start. Emma was in trouble. I knew I had seen the present, but for an unknown reason.

I knew what I'd have to do. I had to break into Azkaban. I mean, how hard could it be? People get out, so why not in? I'd rescue Emma and kill whoever put her there.

I took out my wand and said, "_Tiempisimo_!" The time instantly appeared in the air. It was 7:58 in the morning. By 8:15, I was ready to start the day and was making my way into the Great Hall for breakfast when I was pulled behind a statue by something with the head of an eagle. I fought it and found that the eagle was just a mask. Xemari was behind it.

"Where's Emma?" I hissed.

"You should know with your little _visions_," he said with a smirk.

"What visions?" I asked, trying to seem as if I had no clue what the villian was talking about.

"I heard you talking in your sleep." He took on a high, girly falsetto to say, "Emma... Azkaban... Save... Dementors!... Kitty, kitty... Break... Kill... Evil..."

"You weren't in the Gryffindor common room! And Alan is resisting the Imperius Curse. He had all the symptoms of breaking free. He was acting strange last night, though."

Xemari took a flask out from under his robe and held it up to my nose.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Polyjuice potion. Essence of Alan Weasley. He's not a filthy half-blood, unlike some people's girlfriends."

I got mad and jammed my wand under his chin.

"Whoa! Slow down there, loser," he laughed.

"Don't. You. Dare. Insult. Emma. In. Front. Of. Me," I said with a jab at his chest with every word. I put it back to his chin.

Something hit the back of my head, somehow making me realize something. "Why do you hate half-bloods if you're one?" I smiled.

His face turned a deep purple. "Who told you?!"

"Well, you know, my Aunt Hermione's a Muggle-born and I know for a fact your father is Draco Malfoy. That would make you a half-blood."

"Not a word about this to anyone, understand?"

"No. I don't, actually. Wait one minute. McGonagall! Lovegood! Longbottom! Break in! Break in!"

All three professors came instantly to the statue of which I was still behind. They saw Xemari and let out a gasp. Professor Longbottom grabbed Xemari and put him in a headlock.

"Ow! Get off me!" Xemari kept repeating.

Professor McGonagall sighed, "We have no choice but to put you under lockdown in the hospital wing until a parent comes."

"WHAT?! MY PARENTS WILL NEVER COME!" bellowed Xemari.

McGonagall only smiled. Professor Longbottom, who was oddly strong, threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and made way for the hospital wing.

Before I could say anything, the remaining teachers walked away.

After breakfast, I was told by Professor Lovegood that that night was a full moon.

I told all of that to Alan, who was back to normal. I also told Jack, who was in fifth year, and Hugo, who was in third year.

Hugo, who had inherited his mother's brains, said, "Don't you see? We should all go together to break into Azkaban. I have a plan."

Hugo's plans were almost always right, so I listened to what he had to say. "Uncle George told you that behind the suit of armor is where they found the Marauders' Map. I think it that the suit of armor is some sort of portal, and if four young guys go behind it, it may lead somewhere different that with any other number. After all, your grandfather always went everywhere with his friends, apparently. So if the four of us go behind it tonight, we might find out how to save Emma."


	11. Chapter 11

Our plan would take place that night.

Jack, Hugo, Alan and I walked to the suit of armor.

I said, "Okay guys. I'll go first with Alan. Jack, you follow. Last is Hugo."

We went in that order. I whispered, "_Dissendium_," and a swirling, blue portal appeared on the wall.

Our mouths hung open in shock. We all stepped through and found ourselves in the Shrieking Shack.

"Another way in, I suppose," Hugo guessed.

"Let's split up," I suggested. "I'll check upstairs. Alan, check if there is a basement. If there is, look there. Hugo, take the north and east sides. Jack, take the south and west. We're looking for something, anything, that could lead us to Azkaban. Portkeys, portals, doors, suspicious paintings, and you get the drill. Talk to all paintings and lift up all the furniture. We've got to find Emma."

We set to work looking for things when I heard Jack yell, "I've found a trapdoor!"

Hugo also yelled, "Jack! Send up red sparks so we can see where you are!"

I bolted downstairs and followed the red sparks. When we were all with Jack, he said, "Look."

He pushed the wall and it moved away, showing a green-lit tunnel. It seemed to stretch for miles.

"What are we going to do?" panted Alan.

Hugo walked out of sight and came back half an hour later with our brooms.

"Where'd you... How'd you..." stammered Jack.

"Hogwarts broom closet," smiled Hugo.

We mounted our brooms, lit our wands, and set off down the tunnel.

A few hours later, I started to get uncomfortable. I could tell my friends were too.

I had begun to think that we were going nowhere until I saw a light at the end of the tunnel, literally.

We accelerated on our brooms and realized that we were on the Island of Azkaban.

A dementor was guarding the door. I yelled, "Expecto patronum!" My stag patronus, just like my dad's, erupted out of my wand tip and set the dementor back a bit.

"Come on," I told my shocked friends as I gestured for them to follow me.

When we got inside, a dementor was floating behind a desk.

Jack started, "Excuse me, but we'd like to see Emma Spencer."

The dementor beckoned us forward with his scabby hand and pointed to an elevator.

"Cell 498. Fourth floor," it seemed to wheeze.

I got in the elevator and said to my friends, "Come on! We only have a little while!"

Alan came forward and whispered, "Do you really trust that... thing?"

"Not really," I confided, "but I'll do anything to save Emma."

Reluctantly, Alan, Hugo, and Jack piled in the elevator with me. I pressed the button for the fourth floor and a few seconds later, a cool voice said, "Floor four. Prisoners of war."

I looked through the numbers lining the corridor's cells and followed them all the way to the second last cell.

"498," I said.

"Yep," Alan said, sounding nervous.

Jack said in the same tone, "Let's go."

Hugo said, "Come on."

I looked at the dementor guarding the cell.

"Um, do you think you could kind of let us through?" I asked it.

It wheezed and stepped aside so I could see inside the cell.

Emma was just as I saw her in my dream. Reading. Cat patronus and all.

"Emma?" I asked.

"James?" she asked hopefully.

We rushed at each other and were intercepted by the bars.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she said, crying.

"Me too. Until I saw you in my dream, just like this."

"Really? Do you know how that happened?"

"Not necessarily. But it helped me rescue you! How are you surviving?"

"I show no emotion. I empty my mind by reading."

"They didn't take your wand?"

"Of course they tried, but I fought back."

"I'm just so happy to see you alive!"

"I'm happy to see you! Every now and then, something bad would happen in the book and I'd start feeling the wrath of the dementors..."

"How did you conjure a patronus in a place like this?"

"I was kissing you of course, in my mind."

"You hold tight and-"

"Are you going to rescue me or what?"

"Yes! I just don't know how!"

"Drive away the dementor guard with your friends. I'll unlock the bars somehow."

Somehow, I managed to kiss Emma through the bars.

I looked to my friends, who were faking throwing up.

"You heard Emma! Let's drive away this dementor!" I yelled.

All four of our patronuses escaped the confines of our wands. My stag, Hugo's eagle, Jack's tiger, and Alan's monkey.

We set them on the dementor, who exploded in a ball of slime.

"Let's go," I heroically stated to my human companions.

Emma was standing with them too. We bolted for the nearest elevator, two empty cells away.

Before we got there, however, a swarm of dementors blocked our way.


End file.
